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One question I hear a lot is "How do I practice social engineering" and the answer often is "you just do, in real life", because the SE skills are not about trying to be malicious, it's about the S in SE, improving the social part.
I have also thought how can I do that? When? With who? And last night, I the little light bulb went on for me.
I've been reading @RDreeke's "It's Not All About Me" and his 10 strategies for instant rapport. Highly suggested and a very quick read. It has things like "Suspending the Ego" and "Validation", among lots of others.
Last night, I ordered takeout food and when I went to pick it up, I was signing the receipt and in the restaurant, a TV hung on the wall. The person waiting for me was watching an ad on the TV and said to me "The Jeep Wrangler is nice, but it's sooo expensive."
Normally (and for a moment) my thought is "Mmm-hmm" and want to just be on my way. But then I remembered "practice your SE!" and I remembered @rdreeke's tips.
I did at first just "mmhmm" her, but then immediately tried out the tips and responded with "Yeah, you're right, I really like the Wrangler." She said "They are nice, that's why they're so expensive!" I smiled from behind my mask...
and said "I hope you get one some day!" looking to leave her feeling better for having met me, as Robin and @HumanHacker often like to say.
But the main point here is there are always opportunities to practice your SE. I caught myself by surprise and based on that one thing she said, maybe I could have engaged in a longer conversation, hearing more about her interest in the Jeep, or other cars (suspending my ego)
All while letting her talk. But I didn't want my food to get cold, so hopefully another day, I'll be more ready to practice the SE skills I'm learning.
